Those with stubborn faith will withstand the heat

“Always continue to climb. It is possible for you to do whatever you choose, if you first get to know who you are and are willing to work with the power that is greater than yourself, to do it,” (Ella Wheeler Wilcox.)

Motivation: STEVE NYAMBE

The Sydney Harbour bridge

The Sydney bridge construction

There is an amazing story of how the great Sydney Bridge, in Sydney, Australia was constructed. The government had decided to build a bridge that connected North and South Sydney. They had felt the need. So they had to do this, as a way of serving their people.

Tenders were flighted. A lot of companies came to bid. They tendered their documents.

A site visit was arranged. This was meant to familiarise these contractors with the scope of work that was to be done.

Soil tests were done in order to give a clear picture of the soil bearing capacity.

On completion of the tests, all the companies were truly convinced that the chosen site could not be built because soils there were very weak. A broad layer of shifting sand occupied the bottom crust. “Impossible”, was the simplest word to describe the scenario. Period!

Thus these companies could not proceed with the job. To strengthen this idea, many architects went further and said the bridge was not going to stand if it was to be built, because of these shifting sands.

“Tragedy in life doesn’t lie in you not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach,” advised Benjamin Mays.

The unique touch of the contractor

Truly, they might had seen that from their soil tests. However, there was another contractor who could not believe it. Don’t worry if you start seeing things differently.

Yes, they had support from the principle of physics, backing them that it was not possible. Sometimes science has its place, but when life starts calling for those with stubborn and hairy faith, don’t stand on the way.

Fortunately, here was a man born differently and tackled life issues differently. He was a man who believed in the impossible. Someone who had a different touch of courage, perspective and vision.

He just convinced them that he was able to build that bridge. So he asked the government of Australia to give him the job. And the government agreed.

He prepared everything and started the excavation process. He got the blowers and blew out those quicksand beds. He went down hundreds of feet underground.

Sometimes you need to blow those quicksand out of your life. It will keep you numb and incapacitated. It will kill your momentum and douse your vigour and zeal.

First things first

He did his structural works to a superb standard. He then used reinforced concrete for the foundation. The concrete was now anchored on the broad rock at the bottom of the sea.

Remember, anything that’s worth having has a price to it. Indeed, by doing that, it cost him much, but still it was worth the try.

He did everything he knew and he was sure that a thorough job had been done.

Upon completion, he called engineers to prove that he had done a great job. They passed from south to north Sydney, across the sea during the trial period.

He put about eight big freight trains loaded. This was done to show the people that he, indeed, had done something exceptional and beyond the ordinary.

He even took the mayor of the city to be part of his official opening team. True, the mayor went through that “dangerous bridge”. Was there any danger in it? No.

The contractor even got in front of it as an exhibition that the work could not collapse.

The bridge wasn’t moved. It did not shake. It was just stable and as strong as a solid rock. Remember, this is the same place that many contractors had regarded as an inappropriate place to build and one that couldn’t withstand any load. They had said it couldn’t be done.

But was that point true at all? Were their analysis and observations factual? If not, why do you pay attention to people if they say it can’t be done?

How many times in life did you miss opportunities because a certain “prophet of doom” had said something almost like that. They said it. You internalised and believed it to be true. But why?

Remember life sometimes calls for lone-rangers. People may speak, but few of them are gifted to speak sense. Many utter the unreasonable. Those are the same unreasonable voices that may make sense to men who lack proper vision.

Never forget that “everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life, believing that it is a failure,” once noted Albert Einstein. It can be done, your time for great exploits is now. Don’t fear.

Don’t surrender. Don’t weep. Keep going. The darkest hour is just before dawn. Be blessed.

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